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5 Best Mid Range Phone In 2019

It goes with out saying, smartphones have gotten insanely expensive. Many flagship phones these days are costing upwards of $800, and some even upwards of $1000. The Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X are just two phones that sit at around $1000, and well over if you choose a larger storage size. That’s not a price point the average consumer can afford outright, so a whole new market for powerful mid-range phones has emerged. You see devices like the Moto X4 and offerings from OnePlus costing nearly half of what big OEMs are asking for these days — and these OEMs have even started offering their own powerful, but cheaper hardware. So, if you still want a good phone, but don’t want to spend almost a grand to get one, there are options available for you. Here are our top mid range phone picks.

Best Mid Range Phone

Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
Samsung	Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018)	799
Huawei	Huawei Mate 10 Lite	499
Essential Products	Essential Phone	439
HTC	HTC U11 Life	294
Motorola	Moto X (4th Generation)	139.99

Motorola Moto X4

Motorola is making a comeback. Owned by Lenovo, the company is trying to bring the prolific Motorola brand name back with the Moto X4. The Moto X4 has made waves because it’s the first Android One phone available in the United States. It ships with Android 7.0 Nougat, but is upgradeable to Android 8.0 Oreo.

Hardware packs a punch, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 3/4GB RAM, 32/64GB ROM, and a 3,000mAh battery. It has dual-cameras on the back, with a primary 12-megapixel shooter and a secondary 8-megapixel unit. It takes great photos, too. Not only that, but you get a decently sized 5.2-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display. The phone is snappy, and you could hardly tell a difference between this and a flagship. You can have all of this at an affordable price point of around $400.

Buy it now: Amazon

HTC U11 Life

HTC offers the U11 Life. This is basically a dumbed down version of their U11 flagship smartphone, made more affordable for consumers. You still get decent power with a Snapdragon 630 processor and 3/4GB of RAM. Options for 32/64GB of storage space will give you plenty of room for photos, and you’ll have a great viewing experience with the 5.2-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display. It’s got a 2,600mAh battery, which should last you most of the day, though your mileage may vary. It has a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 16-megapixel front camera for detailed selfies. To your surprise, all of this can be had for just $350.

Buy it now: Amazon

Huawei Mate 10 Lite

Huawei is another brand that has become insanely popular in the United States — whether it be with Huawei or their subsidiary, Honor. And now, consumers can purchase the Huawei 10 Lite, a slightly less powerful version of the Mate 10, but with essentially the same great design. It has Huawei’s own CPU — a HiSilicon Kirin 659, 4GB of RAM, and a whole 64GB of internal storage. You get a large 5.9-inch 2,160 x 1,080 display. It has dual cameras on the back — a primary 16-megapixel shooter paired with a 2-megapixel depth camera. A front 13-megapixel is adorned on the front for great selfies.

This phone should last you all day with its 3,340mAh battery. As you can see, it’s got great hardware, and all for just $350. It can be had, on sale, for much less, too.

Buy it now: Amazon

Essential Phone

You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz around the Father of Android’s new phone — the Essential Phone. It’s the hottest new phone that goes back to the Pure Android roots. You can say goodbye to the skins that OEMs put on their phones: what you get here is nothing but clean Android. You get a powerful Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a whole 128GB of internal storage. There’s a great 13-megapixel camera on the back, too. Powering all of this is a large 3,040mAh battery. And the Essential Phone will only set you back around $450.

Buy it now: Amazon

Samsung Galaxy A8+

Want a Samsung Galaxy S8, but with the Galaxy S8 price point? Then you should take a look at Samsung’s own Galaxy A8+. The A8+ has a great 16-megapixel rear camera, a whopping 3,500mAh of battery, and a beautiful 6-inch Super AMOLED display. You get Samsung’s own Exynos processor — the Exynos 5 Octa 7885. Paired with it is 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage with up to 256GB of expansion space.

Buy it now: Amazon

Verdict

As you can see, there are a lot of great phones that can be had at mid-range prices. You can say goodbye to having to pay $800 or more for a good phone, as many OEMs and companies are offering slightly less powerful hardware in the same great package. The average consumer isn’t going to be able to notice the difference in hardware either — everything stays fast and efficient.

Best Mid Range Phone

Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
Samsung	Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018)	799
Huawei	Huawei Mate 10 Lite	499
Essential Products	Essential Phone	439
HTC	HTC U11 Life	294
Motorola	Moto X (4th Generation)	139.99

Best small Android smartphones available today

Update: Here’s our new list of best small phones in 2018

Product	Brand	Name	Price
	Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini G800F 16GB Unlocked Cellphone - International Version (Black)	Buy on Amazon\|$450.49(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)

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Bigger doesn’t necessarily equal better. It’s not the size that matters, it’s how you use it. We mean the phone, you perverted oddballs! You may find it hard to score a half-decent small Android handheld these days, but despite the undeniable mainstream rise of phablets, there’s still demand for devices you can easily slide in and out of your standard-issue trouser pocket.

A compact form factor, proper one-hand maneuverability and sensible design will always go a long way with certain mobile consumers, especially if they’re linked to affordability, a high-res screen, and generally respectable hardware specifications.

Before setting out on a quest to find the best small Android phone in the world prior to the 2015 holiday season, let’s land on a display diagonal range. Can we all agree 4.7 to 5.2-inch handhelds are “normal” nowadays, 5.5 inchers start feeling a bit uncomfortable, and anything beyond 6 inches is excessive, unless your job is to make a dozen slam dunks a few times a week in NBA games?

Good, then we can probably also agree 4 to 4.5 inchers are “small” by today’s high-end standards, yet remain crowd pleasers for those who like to effortlessly manage mobile business with one normally-sized hand. That said, here are the top ten contenders to the title of best small smartphone, ordered as usual from cheapest to costliest:

LG Leon – $78 for MetroPCS; $83 for T-Mobile

It’s perhaps not fair to compare unlocked and carrier-restricted prices, but at the end of the day, CDMA networks like Verizon or Sprint rarely support gadgets not specifically made for them, so the only important thing that’s lacking at the Leon is AT&T compatibility.

Outside of the connectivity spectrum, the elegant, slim-bezeled 4.5 incher also disappoints with 854 x 480 screen resolution, though the quad-core 64-bit Snapdragon 410 CPU isn’t half bad… for a lot less than 100 bucks. Oh, and you get Lollipop goodies pre-installed as well.

Motorola Moto E (second-gen) – $90

Possibly the most appealing sub-$100 proposition, the E2 can be had in US and global GSM configurations, including with 4G LTE speeds, and the 4.5-inch panel is slightly sharper than that of the LG Leon, at 960 x 540 pixels.

Too bad the 2015 Moto E is only around 64 percent screen, massive bezels occupying the rest of the space, and making it a tad cumbersome, with 129.9 x 66.8 mm height/width measurements. On the plus side, the ultra-low-cost Android soldier already runs 5.1 Lollipop, and should be further upgraded to 6.0 Marshmallow sometime next year.

Motorola Moto G (1st generation) – starting at $92

It’s old, not very attractive from a design standpoint, lacks microSD storage expansion possibilities, provides a measly 8 GB ROM in an entry-level variation, and tips the scales at a fairly chunky 143 grams while sizing up at 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6 mm.

But it’s super-affordable, offers close to stock Android 5.1 user experience, and above all, it sports a beautiful 4.5-inch 720p IPS LCD screen.

Huawei Ascend P7 Mini – $144

Don’t hold your breath for a Marshmallow makeover in the near future, as even Lollipop is yet to land on the China-imported qHD 4.5 incher. Be happy the P7 Mini is phenomenally skinny (7.8 mm and 115 grams), and pretty gifted in the selfie-taking department, thanks to a 5 MP front-facing camera.

Also, the 2,000 mAh battery is decently spacious, all things considered, and the quad-core Snapdragon 400 chip takes good care of your basic web browsing, multimedia and even gaming needs.

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini – $192

The tiny Super AMOLED 4.3 incher has turned two a few months back, which amounts to 50 or 60 in human years, yet a timeless design, hefty 1.5 GB RAM, satisfactory 8 MP LED flash main cam, and appropriate 1,900 mAh cell keep it in the spotlight for fans of pocket-sized gizmos.

The screen borders aren’t exactly unnoticeable, but the diminutive sibling of Samsung’s 2013 flagship measures just 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm, and weighs 107 grams.

Samsung Galaxy A3 – $201

Unusually inexpensive for an all-metal device, especially one manufactured by a profit-hungry company, the A3 falls short of impressive aesthetics, with a mediocre 65 percent screen-to-body ratio, and also settles for a so-so 960 x 540 Super AMOLED 4.5-inch display.

Then again, 1.5 gigs of memory, 16 GB on-board hoarding room, Snapdragon 410 muscle, 8 and 5 MP photographic equipment, and Android 5.0 software all feel like the absolute cream of the $200 crop.

HTC One Mini 2 – $239

Why on earth didn’t HTC renew this aging thing to try to squeeze M9’s magic in a smaller package? Granted, the latest hero and the One M8 the Mini 2 is based on are extremely similar, but a One Mini 3 could have brought SD410 power, 1.5 or even 2 GB RAM, and a refined exterior to the table.

Nonetheless, the 4.5 incher on tap offers a lot for a reasonable price tag, starting with 13 and 5 MP cameras, and of course, a premium aluminum unibody build.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact – $250

Sony made the sequel, confusingly named Z3 Compact, a bit too large to be considered here, and the Z5 Compact will also go on sale soon with a 4.6-inch display in tow. It’s all for the best however, as it allows us to remember this oldie but goldie 4.3-inch HD slab, capable of great things to this day.

Silky smooth multitasking? The 2 GB RAM have you covered. Overall system speed? There’s a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor inside. Shutterbug satisfaction? And then some, as the 20.7 MP shooter is simply amazing. And let’s not forget 2,300 mAh battery juice, 16 GB local storage, microSD support, as well as water and dust protection.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini – $267

It seems Sammy inexplicably took a page from HTC’s undependable playbook, and decided to skip or greatly delay the Galaxy S6 Mini. Is last year’s Liliputian flagship still worth around 270 clams in this context?

Yes and no, given we very much dig the 4.5-inch 1,280 x 720 AMOLED panel, 1.5 GB RAM, quad-core Exynos SoC, 8 MP LED flash rear cam, microSD card slot, fingerprint sensor, and IP67 certification for water and dust resistance, but we’re not fans of the cheap plasticky construction or Android 4.4 KitKat flavor.

Kyocera DuraForce – $0 down with AT&T financing; $419 outright

This expensive (off-contract), muscular 4.5 incher has a crystal clear target audience – people that constantly drop and damage their phones. By no means a featherweight, at a whopping 200 grams, the DuraForce withstands shocks of different nature, and produces HD images, driven by a Snapdragon 400 chip, and backed for stellar endurance by a colossal 3,100 mAh battery.

Product	Brand	Name	Price
	Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini G800F 16GB Unlocked Cellphone - International Version (Black)	Buy on Amazon\|$450.49(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)

Top 10 Android selfie phones with front-facing LED flash cameras

It’s only been a little over a year since the first time we surrendered to the selfie trend, rounding up the Android handhelds with the best secondary cameras in tow back then, and already, we bring you a top ten list revised twice. That’s right, the June roster is also obsolete, as we approach narcissistic smartphone enthusiasts slightly differently, and decide to neglect a front-facing snapper’s megapixel count in favor of a much more relevant tidbit.

Update (July 2017): Samsung Galaxy S8 was announced on March 29, 2017. Galaxy S8 can now considered as the next best selfie phone. It now comes with autofocus and wide angle shots for their front camera, although it appears that it still lacks the front facing LED flash light.

Best Overall Phone 2017 - Galaxy S8

ImgAmazon.com Link	Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
	Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S8	422.98

Best Selfie Phone (March 2017) – Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)

Our second favorite for best selfie phone behind the Galaxy S8 is the Galaxy J7, which comes with front facing LED flash light. Think about it, the undisputed top Android phone currently is the Samsung Galaxy S8, so let’s compare a few specs that’s important for a selfie phone.

S8 does not have a front facing led flash light, while the J7 does.
J7 actually has a slightly better 13 megapixel camera compared to the 12 megapixel for the S8
Slightly bigger battery for the J7, therefore longer battery life
J7 has a sufficient 2GB ram and expandable up to 128 GB of storage with MicroSD card
biggest selling point is the price. The S8 runs in the $700 range while the J7 only runs in the $200 for the unlocked versions.
What else do you need in a selfie phone with front facing led flash light?

Best Selfie Phone 2017 - Galaxy J7

ImgAmazon.com Link	Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
	Samsung	Samsung Galaxy J7 LTE (2016)	371.5

Think about it, when do you typically capture the vast majority of your self-portraits? Definitely not in the morning, given your face often feels like a work in progress after waking up. At your place of business or school? Sure, sometimes, if you’re really bored… or a teacher isn’t looking.

But nine out of ten selfies, according to our unfounded suspicions, are produced at night, while out in town, at a party, or in the club. Needless to highlight the surrounding conditions don’t always seem ideal and flattering, which is why a front-firing LED flash is a must-have.

What does that do exactly? Simple – it illuminates a dark scene by providing a “flash” of artificial light, and makes you glow even in a pitch dark room or outdoor space. Here are therefore ten of the very best Androids available today with this super-convenient feature onboard:

Best Selfie Phones

Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
Huawei	Honor 7 Octa Core Dual Sim	474
Samsung	Galaxy J7 Dual Sim	390.99
Sony	Sony Xperia XA Ultra	299.99
HTC	Desire EYE 4G LTE GSM	279.01
Samsung	Galaxy J5 SM-J500 GSM	189.99

Sony Xperia XA Ultra – $329.99

Released in July of 2016, the Sony Xperia XA Ultra is the latest and greatest of all selfie phones with front facing LED flash light. The 16 megapixel front facing camera is the same camera as the primary camera on the Samsung Galaxy S6! You know this is a phone made for selfies when Sony decided to feature the optical image stabilization function on the FRONT facing camera, that is almost unheard of. Of course, how can you have a selfie camera without the LED flash light that comes with this phone. Additionally, it has an above average 3GB of RAM to power your multitasking habits. The 2700mAh battery should be more than enough to last you through the day.

Huawei Honor 7 – $483

Bet you weren’t expecting our priciest proposition to come from Huawei of all device manufacturers. Unfortunately, the Amazon tariff isn’t quite in line with Honor 7’s specs on the whole, though the two cameras look positively dreamy, with 20 megapixels and a dual-LED, dual-tone rear flash, as well as an 8 MP sensor and single LED flash around the front.

Yes, we’d certainly love it if the Honor 7 were priced closer to 400 bucks, since it only accommodates 16 gigs of data internally, and sports a Full HD 5.2-inch display.

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition – $399.99

Now that’s what we like to call irresistible bang for buck! The stock Android-running 5.7-inch giant is the perfect sub-$400 phone, what with its Quad HD panel, stereo sound, hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chip, 3 GB RAM, microSD support, Lollipop software goodies, and 3,000 mAh battery with TurboPower charging.

And how can we forget about the wholesome 21 MP dual-LED flash main photographic unit, or the respectable secondary 5 MP LED shooter?

HTC Desire Eye – $380

One of the few devices that manages to retain its place in the spotlight nearly one year after its debut and fend off the invasion of newcomers, this overall mid-range 5.2 incher was always a selfie flagship.

There’s absolutely no performance gap between the rear and front cams, with a total of four (!!!) LED endowments, speedy autofocus either way, and double HDR. And yet the Desire Eye has shaven a cool $35 off its June valuation. Not too shabby!

Sony Xperia C4 – $379

It’s kinda costly for what it brings to the table, and it has stubbornly stayed perfectly still at $379 for many months now. It runs a relatively old Android version too, 5.0 Lollipop, and the octa-core MT6752 SoC is hardly a Snapdragon 810 alternative.

Nonetheless, it’s thin and large, stylish and robust, and above all, equipped with a 5 MP Exmor RS and LED flash-toting selfie cam.

Sony Xperia C5 Ultra – $375

Oh, the irony! As the name suggests, the slightly cheaper C5 Ultra is a jumbo-sized, evolved variant of the C4, bumped up to 6 inches, and a phenomenal pair of identical 13 megapixel cams, featuring everything from Exmor RS sensors to autofocus, wide-angle lenses, superior auto modes, HDR technique, and SteadyShot video optimizations.

As Sony inspiredly puts it, “the main camera is on the front… and the back”, and the former not only lights up your mug, but does so “naturally”, automatically adjusting to the “ideal settings for your lighting conditions.” Translation – “the light’s always perfect.”

Asus ZenFone Selfie – $295

Okay, so the name is tacky, the pink paint job a tad childish, and both the power button and volume rocker positioned awkwardly. But the ZenFone Selfie offers a lot for not that much money, including a 5.5-inch 1,080p screen, octa-core Snapdragon 615 CPU, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM, Android 5.0 Lollipop, and a duo of PixelMaster cameras with 13 MP and dual-LED flash in tow each.

That’s two flash installations on the back, and two on the face, just to be clear.

Samsung Galaxy J7 – $265

It’s odd, but in a Galaxy consisting of tens and tens of stars, the first two specifically targeted at selfie addicts only started shining a couple of months ago. And to be frank, they’re not shining very brightly. The 5 MP LED flash front cam is almost mundane compared to some of its opponents on this inventory, hiding no software tricks up its sleeve, wide angles, or proprietary enhancements of any sort.

It simply beams radiation in need, helping you snap better selfies than the average non-selfie-centric phone. It’s also decidedly meh as far as other specs go, with a 5.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED panel on deck, as well as 1.5 GB RAM, and a 3,000 mAh cell.

Sony Xperia C3 – $235

The mid-2014-unveiled 5.5 incher is getting rather long in the tooth, albeit it’s inexpensive enough to stay in the public’s eye throughout the looming holiday season. It’s considerably cheaper than its C-series follow-ups, the design is clean and straightforward, Android 5.1 is close-by, and the 5 MP secondary cam furnished with a soft LED flash, smile detection, Superior Auto functions, and 25 mm wide-angle lens at 80 degrees.

Samsung Galaxy J5 – $219

The J7’s smaller brother unsurprisingly feels even less remarkable, looks crappy on the outside, and lets you store a measly 8 GB data before you realize you absolutely have to get an external microSD card. On the bright side, the quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor under the hood is 64-bit-enabled, the pre-installed Android 5.1 OS likewise, and the 13 MP autofocus/LED flash rear shooter decent for the sub-$220 price.

The selfie camera? Well, you know, it’s one of those less-than-stellar 5 MP units with the same old LED flash as everyone else.

BLU Selfie – $177

Our affordability champion doesn’t have a lot of cards to play in the high-stakes US mobile poker game, but the ace it’s not afraid to show off whenever it gets the chance should keep it in the tournament long enough to secure a reasonable paycheck.

We mean, of course, the astounding 13 MP LED flash front camera, even if the rear 13 MP dual-LED flash apparatus is itself pretty great. Oh, and you get octa-core power and 2 gigs of memory at the price of a refurb fourth-gen iPod Touch. Yes, we did go there.

5 Best IP68 Waterproof Phones In 2019

Do you need your phone to have good waterproofing capabilities? Then you’re going to want to search for a smartphone that has the IP68 waterproof rating. This is a military spec that devices have to meet to be considered submersible, or resistant against other things, such as dust, shock, drops, etc. IP68 certification is excellent for smartphones because it protects you against everyday accidents, such as dropping your phone in a pool, spilling water on it, or getting it covered in dust in a more dangerous work environment.

Best Waterproof Phone

Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S9 Unlocked Smartphone	559
HTC	HTC U11 Plus	523.89
Sony	Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium	489.99
LG	LG V30	349.99
G7	LG G7 Plus ThinQ	Check Price

Unfortunately, it can be difficult in trying to figure out what phones have the IP68 rating and what phones don’t. That said, we’ve got all the best phones with IP68 listed below. Be sure to follow along with us!

Samsung Galaxy S9

One of the latest flagship smartphones to IP68 Waterproof rating is actually Samsung’s own Galaxy S9 smartphone. This hit the market just a couple of months ago, featuring a 5.8-inch display with a massive 2,960 x 1,440 resolution. And with a pxiel density of 570ppi, you’ll get the crisp clear clarity you would expect out of a smartphone. It’s got a Snapdragon 845 processor as well, so this phone will be able to breeze through tasks.

You’ll enjoy every bit of the Galaxy S9, as its display is a dual-curved display, giving you a sweet perspective on the media you watch. A large 3,000mAh battery will keep the phone running all day long.

Buy it now: Amazon

LG G7 ThinQ

LG is launching an IP68-rated smartphone in just a couple of weeks — the LG G7 ThinQ. It’s got a 6.1-inch display with a resolution 3,120 x 1,440. A 564ppi pixel density means you’re going to see crisp clear quality in every page you open — websites, movies, TV shows, YouTube videos, you name it. The IP68 rating will keep the phone protected against submersion, spills and any other accidental liquids you come in contact with.

It’s got a Snapdragon 845 processor, so you can expect the phone to do well with any app you put it up against. In addition, a 3,000mAh battery will keep the lights powered on all day long.

Buy it now: Amazon

HTC U11+

You also might want to consider what HTC is offering in the U11+. It, of course, has IP68 Waterproof rating, so you definitely don’t have to worry about ruining your phone if it were to come in contact with liquids. It’s got a 6-inch display with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440. That said, you’ll get a viewing experience like no other. It runs Android Oreo and has a Snapdragon 835 processor that does phenomenally well in every aspect; it’s even great at battery efficiency!

Buy it now: Amazon

LG V30

You’ll also want to consider the LG V30. This is what LG considers to be its professional video phone. It has a ton of built-in manual video and photo controls, so you can capture that perfect shot or record perfect video with your own custom settings. And since it has IP68 rating, you’ll be able to continue recording even under a couple of meters of water!

It has got a 6-inch display with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440. So, like the other phones in this list, you’ll get a good media experience. It’s military-grade as well, so this phone is able to put up with a lot — water, dust, shock, drops, you name it! It has a massive 3,330mAh battery as well, so you’ll be able to get quite a few hours of video recording out of this phone pretty easily.

Buy it now: Amazon

Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium

Last up, we have the Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone. It’s IP68-rated, so you don’t have to worry about losing this phone to water spills or other liquids. It’s got one of the most beautiful displays on this list — a 5.8-inch 2,160 x 3,840 IPS LCD panel. It’s got some built-in technology, such as X-Reality Engine and Triluminos Display to make details even clearer. Text is sharp and media looks great.

Of course, you need one hell of a battery to push all of those pixels, which is why you have a large 3,540 Quick Charge-capable battery. A Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB of RAM will keep your apps running super smooth, too.

Buy it now: Amazon

Closing

So, which smartphone should you pick up? We recommend going with the Galaxy S9 — you can’t get much better than what Samsung offers with its ecosystem. BUt, if you’re not a Samsung fan, you can’t go wrong with what Sony offers in the Xperia XZ2 or what LG is offering in the G7 ThinQ. The HTC U11+ certainly isn’t a bad choice either!

Best Waterproof Phone

Brand	ProductAmazon.com Link	Price on Amazon.com
Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S9 Unlocked Smartphone	559
HTC	HTC U11 Plus	523.89
Sony	Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium	489.99
LG	LG V30	349.99
G7	LG G7 Plus ThinQ	Check Price

How to fix HTC U11 that is charging very slowly or not charging at all? [Troubleshooting Guide]

Aside from the notification LED, you will know if your phone is charging when you see the charging icon on either the status bar (if your phone is turned on) or on the center of the screen (it it’s off). If your device doesn’t show any of these charging indicators, it means that something is wrong and that your device is not charging as intended. In this post, we will tackle the probable causes as to why your HTC U11 smartphone is not charging or charging but very slowly and what must be done in order to fix the problem.

Before we proceed, if you are looking for a solution to a problem with your Note8, make sure to drop by our HTC U11 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues reported by our readers about this new device. Find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work or if you need more help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

Why does your HTC U11 not charging as intended?

There are many possibilities as to why your phone doesn’t charge or charging but very slowly. In many cases, the problem is due to a faulty battery, charger, or charging port. Other charging issues have been linked to a software malfunction. In fact, you’ve seen a lot of people raising complaints about their devices that stopped charging after installing a new update, app or content. Apps running in the background are also considered among the culprits especially if any of these apps is crashing. As a result, it inflicted errors to the system. Fortunately, charging problems that are software-related can be rectified by some workarounds thus taking your device to a service center for hardware check and/or repair won’t be necessary.

How to deal with an HTC U11 that is charging very slowly or not charging at all?

Try these charging tips and standard procedures to troubleshoot your HTC U11 that is not charging as intended. If the first method won’t work, then try the next applicable method. Don’t forget to test charge your phone after completing each procedure to find out whether or not the problem has been resolved. Start whenever you’re all set to do so.

Check USB/charging cable/USB port on your HTC U11.

As mentioned earlier, a faulty USB cord, charging cable, and USB port on your phone can be the main reason as to why it is unable to charge properly. To eliminate these from the possible culprits, carefully check the USB, charging cable, and USB port for any signs of damage. If you see any traces of damage on any of these charging paraphernalia, then you may need to consider a replacement or repair.

If you have an extra cable or charger that is compatible with your HTC U11, try to use it instead then see if that will work. As with the USB port on your phone, make sure that it isn’t clogged with any debris or dirt.

Check and ensure that the power source in use is working.

Sometimes you may not expect it but the power source you are using can also be the culprit. It is possible that the power source or outlet you are using is not working and therefore unable to supply power to your device. You can try to use other outlets or power sockets to charge your phone. If it is able to charge using another outlet, then it’s safe to say that the problem is neither on your device nor the charger.

Quit all apps running in the background.

If you can, try to quit all apps running in the background then restart your iPhone while connected to the charger. Some apps in standby mode can become corrupted and crashes in time. When this happens, there is a higher chance that it will affect the system functions and somehow can halt the phone’s charging system routines.

A simple yet more efficient method of closing apps running in the background is from the Recent apps screen on your HTC U11. Here’s how it’s done:

Press the Recent Apps button.
Flip through the cards to find the app then swipe it left or right.
To close all running apps at once, tap the option to Clear All or tap X.

Once all running apps are ended, try to charge your phone again to see if it’s now able to do so without any background apps.

Uninstall problematic apps.

If your HTC U11 stops charging or begins to charge very slowly after installing a new app or content, then that app or content is most likely to blame. You can use the Boots+ app on your HTC U11 to check for irregular activities from a downloaded app that may affect your device’s performance. If an irregular activity is detected, you may opt to stop the activity or uninstall the downloaded app through the Boost+ app. Here’s how it’s done:

Tap the Apps icon from the Home screen.
Locate and tap Boost+ to open it.
Tap Manage apps.
To uninstall apps that you don’t need, select the apps under the Apps tab then tap the Trash icon.
To view and check for irregular activities, go to Irregular activities tab then tap on the activity and select an action.

Try to charge your phone after clearing irregular activities and erratic apps then see if it’s working this time..

Fourth workaround: Try to force your phone to restart while plugged into a power source

If your phone won’t power on and doesn’t appear to be charging, try to connect it to the charger then perform a forced restart.

To do so, hold down the Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power buttons simultaneously for up to 2 minutes or until your phone power cycles.

Many people have found remedies by doing this workaround so you might as well consider this workaround.

Disable Fastboot option and restart your phone.

Your HTC smartphone has a fastboot feature that works similar to a hibernate mode on a laptop computer. When enabled, your phone hibernates as you turn off your phone so that when you turn it back on, it will boot up faster than the normal cold boot from the Power off mode. It’s good to use this setting if you often turn your phone off and on. However it enabling fastboot is not recommended when trying to boot into bootloader or recovery mode as it may cause conflict and errors. To make sure that this isn’t preventing your phone from charging, try to turn fastboot off from your HTC U11.

To do so, head over to Settings-> Power-> Fastboot menu -> then uncheck it.

Try to charge your phone again after disabling fastboot and see if it’s now able to charge properly as it should.

Other Helpful Charging Tips

Charging the phone before it completely ran out of power is also recommended as most people who have encountered charging problems have the battery emptied before charging.
Switch between power source. If your phone doesn’t charge through the wall outlet, try to use a USB port on your computer, or power banks. Although it is highly recommended to charge your phone using a wall outlet, there are times that it won’t work as intended and that you’ll need to try using another power source. Also make sure that the power source is working.
Use only the HTC-branded charger and the original charging cable that came with your device. Some third-party chargers and cables may not be compatible with your device thus won’t work correctly.
Check the cord and make sure that there are no signs of damage like kinks or frays, bent connectors and the like.
Check and ensure that the charging port on your HTC U11 is working and free from any debris or pocket lint. If necessary, carefully clean it out.

If your HTC U11 is still not charging properly as intended even after trying all of the above procedures, contact your carrier or HTC Support to escalate the matter and seek more help and other options. If your device is still warranty, then you should avail for warranty instead.

If you suspect that a faulty hardware is to blame like when your device stops charging after it was dropped or got wet, then you better take it to a service center instead and have it diagnosed by a technician for possible hardware damage.

Connect with us

We are always open to your problems, questions and suggestions, so feel free to contact us by filling up this form. This is a free service we offer and we won’t charge you a penny for it. But please note that we receive hundreds of emails every day and it’s impossible for us to respond to every single one of them. But rest assured we read every message we receive. For those whom we’ve helped, please spread the word by sharing our posts to your friends or by simply liking our Facebook and Google+ page or follow us on Twitter.

Best quick-charging Android smartphones money can buy

Charging your phone every single night after returning from work, school or a stroll around town in order to be able to start again the next morning without losing track of your Facebook friends, favorite Twitter feeds or Pinterests might well be the most annoying modern-day chore.

It’s not only boring as heck, but you have to actually remember to do it, not to mention keeping all sorts of cables on hand and hugging walls for hours on end. Of course, some devices last longer than others, and you can always use power banks on the go whenever you need a quick, no-plug-in-necessary pick-me-up.

And let’s not forget about wireless charging, which is slowly taking off, although it’s not exactly wireless if the dock must be physically connected to an energy supply for the whole thing to function.

Finally, while it doesn’t solve the underlying problem, i.e. the constant demand for more juice, fast-charging technology at least reduces the time wasted waiting. Like many mobile inventions, this is bound to become truly useful down the line, when you’ll be able to fill up the tank in mere minutes.

But there are already numerous Android phones endowed with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 capabilities or similar functionality, and we give you today the cream of that crop:

LG G4 – starting at $371 on Amazon

Will the G5 make this old-timer look its age at last in a little over a week, with a vastly refined design, considerably beefier processor under the hood, more RAM, a better camera, and smoother UI? You can bet the farm, the house, everything you own on that.

It’ll even invigorate its battery 38 percent faster than the G4, courtesy of Snapdragon 820’s Quick Charge 3.0 support. At the same time, it’ll probably cost twice as much, and you have to wonder if it’s worth the premium. After all, last year’s leather-clad bad boy can still lift its cell capacity from 0 to 60 percent in half an hour. And mind you, we’re talking a relatively large 3,000 mAh battery.

HTC One A9 – $386 and up

If you ever wondered how an Android-running iPhone from a legit OEM might look, this somewhat disappointing upper mid-ranger is your guy. It’s slightly overpriced, we won’t argue otherwise, but it’s compatible with both Quick Charge 2.0 and 3.0 standards. The bad news? You need to pay extra for one of those super-fast charger accessories.

The worse news? The A9 packs a tiny 2,150 mAh battery, so no matter how quickly you can liven it up, it’ll still leave you hanging when you might need it most. Say, during a business meeting. So yeah, better not risk it and instead buy the…

ZTE Axon Pro – $400

A costlier ZTE recommended over an affordable HTC? What exactly is the Axon Pro’s secret? Well, it’s got several strong suits, all made public and marketed quite aggressively on US shores of late. Number one, a beautiful 5.5-inch Quad HD display. 2, a somewhat gimmicky but proficient 13 + 2 MP dual rear-facing camera. 3, more RAM than you could ever need on a mobile device (4 gigs). 4, a respectable 3,000 mAh battery. Last but not least, standard fast-charging times: 30 minutes to go from 0 to 60. In a nutshell, plenty of bang for 400 bucks.

Nexus 6P – $450 through Google Store

This stock Android Marshmallow-based phablet is sure an odd duck. For one thing, it comes with a reversible USB Type-C port that isn’t however capable of 3.1 data transmission and charging speeds. Granted, a slew of other phones released in the latter stages of 2015 half-heartedly adopted the new USB technology like that, but only the N6P also lacks Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 support.

Fret not, as it’s gifted with a proprietary equivalent nonetheless, though Google and Huawei refuse to make any pompous claims regarding stamina-inducing times. Even if it takes, say, an hour to reach 50 percent volume, this is a must-buy for Android purists, what with a 3,450 mAh battery, Snapdragon 810 SoC, 3GB RAM, and 5.7-inch 2K screen on deck.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 – $588 and up

Since Sammy was basically forced to fit a homebrewed processor inside its latest wave of high-enders, their rapid charging technology is different from Qualcomm’s too, promising a full tank in a measly 120 minutes, even wirelessly beefed up.

A full 3,000 mAh tank, that is, rated at up to 22 hours of continuous 3G talk time. Add an S Pen into the equation, all-time record low price, and we see no reason why you should hold off for the Galaxy S7. Well, aside from microSD storage expansion maybe.

Motorola Droid Turbo 2 – $624 full retail price at Verizon

As the name suggests, this turbo-charging beast uses its own personal implementation of standard QC technology, squeezing no less than 13 hours of average usage from a massive 3,760 mAh battery after only 15 minutes spent hugging a wall. Such a shame the “shatterproof” 5.4-incher isn’t available on America’s number two, three or four operators. Guess that’s one of the reasons Big Red preserves its market domination.

LG V10 – $620 and up

50 percent in 40 minutes? That’s not so impressive. It’s definitely not record-breaking or trend-setting, but overall, the V10 is. Because it’s also military-approved for shock resistance, including contact with hard surfaces, equipped with a secondary notification display that can be both an energy and life saver, plus two front-facing cameras for… double the selfies?

Clearly, you’re dealing with a one-of-a-kind product, and even if it’s not a rapid-charging champion, it gets that job done too in addition to a bunch of other strenuous jobs.

BlackBerry Priv – $698

Would this particular writer ever consider buying the Priv? No chance. Not at $700, and possibly, not at a penny over $600 either. But that’s because I’m personally not obsessed with security, and my physical QWERTY keyboard love affair ended half a decade ago.

If you’re into those sorts of things though, you know how hard it is to find them elsewhere, especially combined with open-source Android, Google apps, a beautiful curved Quad HD AMOLED panel, and large 3,410 mAh battery capable of providing 60 percent juice after 30 minutes “wasted” hooked up to a power supply.

Best Android smartphones with a removable battery and microSD slot

Times are changing, tides are shifting, trends are passing and drifting and priorities are rearranging. The thing is the way device manufacturers set their priorities straight doesn’t always align with the wishes of the overwhelming majority of mobile consumers.

Take smartphone battery capacity. Literally everyone who’s ever owned a half-decent Android with web access, a semi-sharp display and the ability to run games and various juice-consuming apps knows autonomy is a pain.

Yet except for Motorola and maybe Lenovo, OEMs refuse to do the right and simple thing and increase cell size at the risk of also beefing up bulk. Recently, a separate but just as disturbing market direction has begun to dictate to gadget producers user-removable batteries and microSD card slots are out of style.

Taking a page from Apple’s ill-advised book, Samsung outed the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge with sealed pacemakers and no external storage expansion possibility. Meanwhile, the HTC One M9 and Sony Xperia Z3 let you slip in a microSD card for extra hoarding room, but block entry to the old juicers.

Needless to stress why some find microSD support and replaceable cells greatly convenient, so without further ado, here are a few of the remaining Mohicans to offer both features:

LG G3 – starting at $369 factory unlocked; $0.01 with AT&T, Verizon and Sprint contracts

Up to 128 GB microSD capabilities; 3,000 mAh battery

Not only can you see, touch and substitute the out-the-box cell in need (and for a really small price), but this also delivers plenty of energy, sufficient in fact to comfortably last you through the typical work day. Then again, what’s not to like about the G3?

It’s almost as speedy as its successor, it’s over 75 percent screen with ultra-narrow bezels, a multitasking champion, runs on Lollipop sans a glitch and sports top-of-the-line Quad HD display resolution. Plus, it’s roughly twice as cheap as a Galaxy S6 and, presumably, a G4.

LG G3 S – $205 and up unlocked

Up to 64 GB microSD expansion; 2,540 mAh battery

Not digging the gargantuan footprint of the 5.5-inch G3 or perhaps feel $370 is too much to pay for a slab of silicon, no matter how cool of a discount Amazon pitches? The “diminutive” G3 S might be the answer to all your prayers, albeit it’s not as small or affordable as you’d probably expect.

It’s 5 inches in diagonal, 137.7 mm in height, nearly 70 mm wide and it’s just $165 cheaper than the “full-sized” G3 with lower resolution, less processing power, an inferior RAM count, camera sensor, everything. Not to mention it barely accommodates 8 gigs of internal data, limiting your microSD inflation as well.

Samsung Galaxy S5 – $390 factory unlocked; $0.01 with AT&T pacts, $1 at Verizon, $30 for Sprint

Up to 128 GB microSD; 2,800 mAh battery

Last year’s “next big thing” is by no means better than LG’s 2014 spearhead, yet it’s still slightly steeper. What’s up with that, Sammy, Amazon and especially Sprint? Granted, you do get water resistance and fingerprint recognition here, only at the end of the day, the FHD Samsung is clearly no match for the QHD LG.

Not in ppi, RAM muscle, build quality or overall design style. Perhaps in cell endurance, thanks to Galaxy S5’s more frugal screen.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – $547 factory unlocked; $230 on-contract at Verizon, $300 and up with Sprint

128 GB microSD; 3,220 mAh battery

Look, we get it, the 5.7-inch Super AMOLED 2K phablet is a powerhouse, with Snapdragon 805 inside, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB native storage space, up to 20-hour 3G continuous battery life, fast charging technology, heart rate monitoring, fingerprint authentication and S Pen support.

It’s handsome as well, with its premium metallic frame, soft-textured back cover and 8.5 mm wasp waist. But $300 with a 24-month carrier obligation?!? That sounds extreme. Even $230 is preposterous. For crying out loud, the newer, better-looking, more robust albeit smaller Galaxy S6 starts at $200.

Samsung Galaxy S4 – $291 factory unlocked; $0.01 with Verizon or Sprint pacts

64 GB microSD; 2,600 mAh battery

It may feel hard to argue with a sub-$300 SIM-free valuation of a Lollipop-ready device packing quad-core Snapdragon 600 or octa Exynos 5 punch, plus 2 GB RAM. Yet if the LG G2 can go for $220 in a 32 GB configuration, so should the 16 GB GS4 model Amazon shamelessly charges almost three Benjamins for.

True, G2’s battery is bolted down. Otherwise though, the 2013 high-enders are matched in screen res and camera performance, and the G2 likely prevails as far as autonomy and processing speed are concerned.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 – $310 factory unlocked; $100 with AT&T contracts

64 GB microSD; 2,800 mAh battery

Bet you forgot all about this unusually timid mid-end 6 incher. So did AT&T, we presume, or else they’d lack the gumption of asking 100 clams for such an unimpressive phablet on-contract.

It’s really not worth it, since the battery is teeny-tiny, the display 720p, the cameras mediocre and, given the nonexistent marketing, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Mega 2 were stuck on KitKat for a long, long time.

HTC Desire 510 – $65 with Sprint prepaid plans; $66 at Boost Mobile; $70 on Virgin Mobile

128 GB microSD; 2,100 mAh battery

Before you even think it, we had to include an ultra-low-cost no-contract trooper in our roundup of the rare removable battery/storage expansion birds. We just had to. And yes, we agree the Desire 510 looks pretty chintzy and its specs are, well, a full-on crapfest.

But it’s 65 lousy bucks, lets you add all the memory required to deposit half of Netflix’s library and, thanks to an FWVGA panel blessing in disguise, promises to last around 17 hours between charges.

How to Install iOS in Android Smartphone

Update August 2017: If you are looking for the best way to install iOS the operating system onto your Android phone, then you will probably be disappointed since it has not been done publicly. The claims in the past have been debunked or even removed all together.

The ideal solution to get the best iOS experience on your Android phone is to download an iOS launcher, we have downloaded several and played with a few. Some simply crashed and some iOS launchers do not crop the icons correctly to fit. Overall the best iOS launcher that best resembles the iOS interface are these two:

One Launcher

Of all the iOS launchers for Android we tested, we liked the One Launcher the best. Its interface resembles the iOS interface, even all the way down to the long-press-hold icons to delete/uninstall apps, the icon does in fact wiggles and user has option to press the “X” to uninstall, this is just one of the small details that should be in an iOS launcher, but aren’t found on all. The One Launcher has an outstanding 4.3 user review out of 5, with over 500,000 downloads, so there are plenty of happy users. Just make sure your Android device is running Android version 4.0.3 or above.

xOS Launcher

Not too far behind in our iOS launcher list is the xOS Launcher, which also sports a beautiful iOS-like interface. Has just about anything you would expect for an iOS experience. It has have a slightly lower user review at 4.2 stars, and a tad less users than the One Launcher. Be sure to have Android verision 4.0.3 or up to use this launcher.

Overall, of all the iOS launchers for Android, we liked these two the best. Both apps were recently updated, so that means it is constantly being monitored for bugs with support. Which of the two did you like best?

Email Us

For more questions about Android devices, send us your questions or comments on this page.

Note: the method below is no longer valid as of 2016, we highly suggest you try the iOS launcher mentioned above instead.

A recently sent question to The Droid Guy Mailbag asks, “Just a random question—Is there a possible way to install iOS in Android Smartphone?”

There is a way to transform your Android Smartphone’s operating system to iOS. However, make sure that your phone is running any of these Android operating system versions before trying the method:

1.5 Cupcake
1.6 Donut
2.0 to 2.1 Éclair
2.2 Froyo
2.3 to 2.3.2 Gingerbread
2.3.3 to 2.3.7 Gingerbread
3.1 Honeycomb
3.2 Honeycomb
4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich
4.1.x Jelly Bean
4.2 Jelly Bean
4.3 Jelly Bean
4.4 KitKat

For a good measure, download the newest version of Android before proceeding.

How to Install iOS in Android Smartphone

You don’t have to root your device if you want to install iOS to Android Smartphone. Just download the software, which is found on the “Sources” section of this page, in your PC. Then, connect your Smartphone to your computer. Open the downloaded program and follow the step-by-step procedures there.

Possible Risks

Despite the overwhelming positive feedbacks of users who have tried this solution, be warned that there may be issues associated with the software used to install iOS in Android Smartphone.

One is that the platform of Android phones such as the Galaxy series, HTC, Nexus Series and others are specially designed for their default OS. So, changing their recommended OS might expose you to some problems like loss of functionality in some features of your device, voiding its warranty and bricking.

It should be noted that the distributor of the software even admitted there is a small chance you might brick your device in the process, especially if the installation guide is not followed strictly.

Second, the software comes from a third-party source, and we can’t vouch that it is 100% reliable or trusted.

Despite these possible risks, feedbacks from people who have tried the solution said that it worked for them without any issue. Their overwhelming positive feedbacks can be found in an XDA thread where this subject has been featured, and comments in the YouTube account of its developer.

Source: The software can be found at the iOS on Android website. User feedbacks can be found in YouTube and XDADevelopers.

Best dual SIM Android smartphones available today

Very rarely mentioned in the same breath as zippy 64-bit processors, Quad HD screens, OIS cameras or massive batteries with fast charging capabilities when it comes to top selling points of today’s best and brightest Android smartphones, dual SIM support remains an extremely convenient feature to have for several classes of mobile users.

Brand	Name	Price
Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S6 SM-G920FD Factory Unlocked Cellphone	Check Price on Amazon
Sony	Sony Xperia Z3 Plus E6533 32GB White	Buy on Amazon\|$199.6(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
HTC	HTC One E9 Plus 32GB Gold Sepia, Dual Sim	Buy on Amazon\|$233.99(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
HTC	HTC Desire 820U 5.5 inch Android 4.4 64bit Octa Core	Buy on Amazon\|$219(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
Sony	(Black) - International Stock No Warranty	Buy on Amazon\|$280(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
Motorola	Motorola XT1068 Moto G	Buy on Amazon\|$449(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)

Businessmen often want to keep their professional and personal lives separate, budget consumers in emerging markets need multiple SIM cards to avoid spending a fortune on calling different people on different operators, while travelers may find it easy to use a number domestically and another one abroad.

Clearly, getting a dual SIM smartphone is wiser and cheaper than buying two distinct devices, each with its own subscriber identity module, and the best news of all is you can find such models of popular gadgets in essentially every possible price bracket. What is the best dual SIM smartphone, you ask? It really depends on how much you’re willing to cough up and what other requirements you have.

Here’s a comprehensive top ten list, including both dual active and dual standby products, ordered from costliest to most affordable:

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Duos – $719

The best phone with dual SIM on the market for power users, the GNote 5 unfortunately doesn’t grant microSD storage expansion, and obviously rejects CDMA networks such as Sprint or Verizon. LTE connectivity on many GSM carriers stateside, AT&T and T-Mobile included, may also be a tad patchy, on account of this N9200 model being imported from China.

We’re afraid that’s the case for the vast majority of dual SIM devices available on American shores, as Asia and Europe always seem to get the most dedicated love on this front. Still, the Note 5 is a beast, one or two SIMs in tow, with S Pen support, a 5.7-inch Quad HD screen, 4 GB RAM, 16MP cam, and 3,000 mAh battery among its technical highlights.

Samsung Galaxy S6 – $552

It’s smaller, less expensive, loses a gig of memory, as well as the bundled stylus accessory, but it’s just as stylish, silky smooth in the software department, and loaded with LTE speeds on a wide range of US-friendly bands. It’s headed for the Marshmallow bandwagon for sure too, and, oh, did we mention it’s pretty cheap for what it has to offer?

Sony Xperia Z3 Plus – $499

The Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium must wait, which gives the “OG” hero one final chance to shine. At 500 bucks, the quality-pricing ratio isn’t too bad, with octa-core Snapdragon 810 muscle on deck, 20.7 MP photography greatness, water resistance, and active dual SIM capabilities, where you can talk on one number and still receive calls from the other, instead of the caller being automatically sent to voicemail.

LG G4 – $474

There are plenty of good-looking phones up for grabs nowadays, but only the G4 wraps up premium hardware like a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chip and 3 GB RAM in a leather-clad package. The microSD slot and hefty 3,000 mAh user-removable battery also stand out as unique fortes, and to make sure cell endurance is all it can be, LG made its latest flagship dual SIM standby, with a smart forward function on hand.

That way, you can make the most of the juicer, and at the same time, easily direct calls from your backup SIM to the primary card. Perfect convenience score!

HTC One E9 Plus – $375

Technically unreleased in the US, the 2K 5.5 incher lands on Amazon straight from Asia, and will thus have great difficulty accessing 4G LTE networks on T-Mobile or AT&T. Even capped off at 3G though, this is one of the best dual SIM Android smartphones out and about, offering octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 power, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM, microSD support, a 20 MP rear shooter, and 2,800 mAh ticker in addition to the large, high-res display.

HTC Desire 820 – $269

Brought back in the limelight by a long overdue Lollipop update, the mid-range 720p 5.5 incher features dual standby SIM, but it’s nonetheless way more user-friendly than similar past gizmos. You’ll get a notification every time someone looks for you on the secondary SIM, and you can seamlessly switch between active cards.

Also, Lollipop… in Taiwan and India for now. And Snapdragon 615 heat. And 8 MP selfie muscle.

Huawei P8 lite – $237

This ultra-slim bad boy is sold with a US warranty, 4G LTE support on “all” GSM networks in the United States, plus Lollipop goodies pre-installed, a 13 MP dual-LED flash main camera, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM, and microSD storage expansion possibilities. Not too shabby!

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua – $237

The only reason we’d recommend this thing over all the other dual SIM contenders, save for the Z3+, is its excellent IP68 certification for water protection up to 1.5 meter and 30 minutes. Just don’t be tempted to snap 13 megapixel pics deep in the ocean or at the neighborhood swimming pool, because chances are Sony’s warranty will not have you covered.

Motorola Moto G second-generation – $164

Bet you had no idea last year’s featherweight low-cost champion of the world could be had in an optional dual SIM variant. Or that Motorola’s proprietary software optimizations for this particular model include something called “Automatic SIM selection”, where the system identifies the card you use the most, and tries to make your selection life easier.

A 2014 blockbuster, the G2 isn’t as hot in late 2015, with its 1 GB RAM and 8 GB on-board storage in particular feeling archaic.

BLU Studio C – $99

Now that’s how a super-affordable phone should look in this day and age. The 5-inch Studio C is colorful, respectably powerful, touts a phenomenal camera… for $99, massive 3,000 mAh battery, Android 5.0, beautiful HD screen, and last but not least, dual SIM with nationwide GSM HSPA+ compatibility. That’s not full 4G LTE, but it’s remarkable nevertheless at a measly Benjamin.

Brand	Name	Price
Samsung	Samsung Galaxy S6 SM-G920FD Factory Unlocked Cellphone	Check Price on Amazon
Sony	Sony Xperia Z3 Plus E6533 32GB White	Buy on Amazon\|$199.6(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
HTC	HTC One E9 Plus 32GB Gold Sepia, Dual Sim	Buy on Amazon\|$233.99(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
HTC	HTC Desire 820U 5.5 inch Android 4.4 64bit Octa Core	Buy on Amazon\|$219(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
Sony	(Black) - International Stock No Warranty	Buy on Amazon\|$280(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)
Motorola	Motorola XT1068 Moto G	Buy on Amazon\|$449(Price as of 02/16/2019 06:31 ET)

How to fix an HTC U12/U12 Plus smartphone that is not charging or charging but very slowly [Troubleshooting Guide/Charging Tips]

Charging problems in mobile devices can be due to software issues or hardware damage. In most case though, software errors are to blame especially in new and high-tiered devices. This means that the problem can be resolved by end-users themselves.

Highlighted below are some applicable solutions and workarounds to deal with charging problems on the new HTC U12/U12 Plus smartphone. If you own this device and having troubles when charging it, like when it’s charging very slowly or not charging at all, then this post may be able to help you.

Before we move on to our troubleshooting, if you are looking for a solution to a different issue, make sure you drop by our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed some of the most common problems reported by our readers. Find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If you still need our help after that, then feel free to contact us by filling up our Android issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot your HTC U12 / U12+ that’s not charging

Before you begin to troubleshoot software problems on your HTC U12/U12 Plus that might have prevented it from charging properly, try to think of what has happened before your phone stops charging. Doing so can help you go straight to the required solution. Otherwise, you may have to consider spending more time in trying each of the following solutions. Be sure to test your device after performing each method to determine if the problem is solved.

What to do when your HTC U12/U12 Plus is not charging at all?

If your phone doesn’t charge at all, that’s likely because of a defective or damaged component like a defective charger, adapter, power port, and the like. To rule these out, consider the following suggestions.

Use only the original charging equipment. It is but recommended to use only the original charger for your HTC U12/U12 Plus. Other chargers’ power output is not the same from that of the OEM charger, and therefore it’s likely incompatible.
Remove third-party phone accessories. Non-HTC phone accessories like casing or housing may not fit your device. Thus, there is a chance that it would block the charging port or prevent the charger from establishing proper contact with the charging port. To rule this out, try to remove any third-party casing or other phone accessories, then retry charging your device.
Make sure no blockage in the charging port. Dirt and lint can also be the main culprit. Your phone may not be able to charge properly because the charging port is clogged with dirt or lint. In that case, cleaning the port would be necessary. You can use compressed air to blow out any dust or lint from the phone’s charging port and get your USB connection back to normal.
Charge from the right source. Another possible reason as to why your battery is charging very slowly is that the power source in use doesn’t produce the right amount of power needed for the phone to charge in the specified period of time. This is usually the case if you’re charging your phone from a computer USB port, laptops, car, or portable power banks. As recommended, charge your device directly from a working wall outlet.
Check and ensure no damage to the charging equipment. Scrutinize your charging equipment particularly the charger. At this point, you can use other compatible charger to determine if the problem is with the original charger or not. If your device is able to charge using other chargers, then apparently the charger is at fault and therefore it has to be replaced. If your phone refuses to charge using any of your other chargers, then your device need service.

What to do when your HTC U12/U12 Plus is charging very slowly?

Something must be halting the phone’s charging system from carrying out its task properly. If it’s not a defective hardware, then it must be on the software. To rule software errors out from the possible triggers, you can try the following workarounds.

First solution: End/force stop all running apps.

Application errors can affect other functions of your device given that everything in it is interrelated. Among the usual culprits are background apps that become corrupted. Background apps are recently used apps that aren’t closed. They’re in standby mode but still running in the background. Eventually, any of these apps can crash and when this happens, there’s a chance that it would affect other functions including that of the phone’s charging system. As resolution, ending or forcing background apps to stop is needed. Here’s how:

Press the Recent Apps button.
Flip through the apps previews to navigate to different apps.
Then swipe the app preview left or right to end or close it.
If you see multiple running apps, tap Clear All to close them all at once.

After ending all background apps, try to charge your phone and see if it’s now charging faster. If not, then move on to the next possible solution.

Second solution: Soft reset/device restart.

A soft reset or device restart is the simplest yet most effective way of clearing cached files and corrupted data from the phone’s internal memory. These corrupted may affect and prevent the charging system from carrying its usual routine and thereby results to slow charging. To soft reset your HTC U12/U12 Plus, follow these steps:

Press and hold down the Power button for a few seconds.
Select Power off from the menu options then tap OK to turn off your phone.
After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button again until the phone restarts.

This won’t affect any data stored on the internal memory, so all your apps, settings, and personal information remain.

Third solution: Charge while in safe mode.

Third-party apps and services are temporarily disabled while in safe mode leaving all preinstalled apps running. This is the best way to determine whether or not the problem is due to a third-party application. To enable safe mode on your HTC U12/U12 Plus, follow these steps:

Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until the menu options show up. Then tap and hold Power off option. Your phone will restart and you should see Safe Mode at the lower portion of the screen.

Alternatively, you can restart your phone in safe mode using the hardware keys.

To do so, press the Power button to turn on your phone. As soon as you see the HTC logo on the screen, press and hold the Volume Down button until you see Safe Mode at the lower portion of the screen.

Test your device to see if Safe Mode resolves the problem. If the problem is fixed or your phone is charging properly or faster while in safe mode, uninstall a recently-downloaded app that might be causing the issue. To exit Safe Mode and switch back to normal mode, simply restart your phone.

Fourth solution: Update software to the latest Android version.

Installing the latest software or Android version for your phone can be the ultimate solution if bugs and malicious software are the main culprit. The latest Android version released last July 11 for example, provides security enhancement or fix patches to clear any bugs and malware from the phone system. To check and see if that update is available on your device, follow these steps:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Tap General tab.
Tap Update center, then tap System update.
Tap the option to Check for update.

You will be prompted with an update notification if a new Android version is available. Before you download the update file, consider backing up all your important data for safekeeping. Your phone must also be connected to the Internet as the update will be installed over-the-air or wirelessly. Once you’ve got all the update requisites met, follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the new software on your phone.

After successfully installing the update, restart your phone to ensure that the new system changes are properly implemented and likewise to prevent any apps from acting up.

If your HTC U12/U12 Plus is still charging very slowly or not charging at all, connect it to the charger then let it charge overnight. And if that won’t work either, then your device likely needs service.

Other options

You can take your phone to the nearest HTC service center in your area so that it can be thoroughly examined by an authorized technician. The problem might be attributed to some sort of physical or liquid damage that needs physical repair. Also bring the charger so that it can also be scrutinized. The charger might have been defective and therefore needs to be replaced.

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How to fix an HTC U12/U12 Plus that cannot send or receive text (SMS) messages [Troubleshooting Guide]

SMS problems in smartphones are usually attributed to network errors. But there are also other factors that can cause text/SMS messaging to fail. Most of these factors are attributed to software issues on the devices. Problem on sending and receiving SMS or text messages can occur even on new devices.

This post highlights a few suggested workarounds and potential solutions to a relevant issue on the HTC U12 or U12 Plus smartphone. Read on to find out what options to try on whenever your HTC smartphone suddenly stops sending or receiving text or SMS messages.

But before anything else, if you have another issue with your phone, drop by our troubleshooting page as we have already addressed hundreds of issues reported by the owners. Odds are that there are already existing solutions on our website or at least, there are similar problems we already fixed. So, try to find ones that are similar or related to your problem. If you need further assistance, however, feel free to contact us by filling up our Android issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot HTC U12/U12+ that can’t send or receive text messages

Before you begin troubleshooting, check and ensure that your phone has network signal. If your phone has no service, you’ll need to deal with network problems first. Otherwise, perform the following workarounds.

First solution: Force close Messages app then restart your phone.

There are instances when an application suddenly failed to carry out its functions because of random errors and system glitches. Oftentimes, such problems are easily remedied by simply ending the errant app followed by a device restart or soft reset. If you were able to send or receive SMS on your HTC U12/U12 Plus and then suddenly couldn’t even without doing anything on your phone, then it’s likely just a random glitch on the messaging app or device system. To clear the error, force close or end the Messages app with these steps:

Press the Recent Apps button.
Flip through the apps previews to locate the Messages app.
Then swipe the Messages app preview left or right to end or close it.
If you see multiple running apps, tap Clear All to close them all at once.

After ending the messaging application, restart or soft reset your HTC U12/U12 Plus with these steps:

Press and hold down the Power button for a few seconds.
Select Power off from the menu options then tap OK to turn off your phone.
After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button again until the phone restarts.

Relaunch the Messages app then try to create a sample text or SMS message to send and receive. If the problem continues, move on to the next applicable solution.

Second solution: Clear cache and data on your Messages app.

Apps store temporary files and data every time you use them on your phone. These files are called cache. While cached files serve good purposes when it comes to reloading of similar information, they’re also capable of causing adverse symptoms. Adverse symptoms may occur whenever cache files get corrupted. To make sure this isn’t what’s preventing the Messages app from sending or receiving SMS messages, clear cache and data from the messaging app on your HTC U12/U12 Plus with these steps:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Tap to open the Phone app.
Tap Apps then switch to All Apps, if necessary.
Select the Messages app.
Then tap Clear Cache.
If clearing the app cache won’t help, then you can Clear Data on Messages app to. Simply follow the above steps to get to the Messages app then select the option to Clear Data-> then OK to confirm.

Note that clearing an app’s data will delete all your personal data from the app including login details, settings, saved files, and the like. Any corrupted data that might have halted the Messages app from sending or receiving SMS or text messages will also be cleared in the process.

Third solution: Install pending app updates and software updates.

Keeping apps up-to-date is recommended to keep them optimal. Software updates be it for apps or Android system offer bug fixes to get rid of any bugs that caused various types of issues on a device. If you haven’t set your device to install updates automatically, then you’ll need to manually install pending app updates on the Play Store. Here’s how:

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap the Menu icon (three vertical lines) then tap My apps & games.
Navigate to the Updates section to view available app updates.
Tap the Update button next to your messaging app to install pending app update.
To update all apps at once, tap the Update All button instead.

Also check for any software update (Android). Installing the latest Android software version on your phone can also be the key to fixing the issue if bugs and malware are to blame. Aside from new features, new firmware updates also offer fix patches to address existing device issues attributed to software bugs. Here’s how to check OTA updates on your HTC U12/U12 Plus:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Tap General tab.
Tap Update center, then tap System update.
Tap the option to Check for update.

Restart your phone when the update is completely installed to prevent any apps or device itself from acting up.

Fourth solution: Wipe cache partition on your phone.

Cached files are not only stored on apps but also on the system folders or cache partition. When these apps get ruined, relevant functions of the device like the messaging system may stop working. To rule this out, wiping cache partition is recommended. Here’s how:

Turn off your phone.
Press and hold the Volume Down key.
Turn the phone on by pressing the Power key until the phone vibrates, then release Power.
Continue holding the Volume Down key.
Release the Volume Down key when the black screen with red and blue lines of text appears.
Press the Volume Down key repeatedly until reboot to bootloader is highlighted.
Press the Power key.
The device will display a white screen with colored text.
Press the Volume Down key repeatedly until BOOT TO RECOVERY MODE is highlighted.
Press the Power key. Doing so will flash the HTC screen.
Press Volume Down key to highlight wipe cache partition.
Press the Power key.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight Yes on the ‘Wipe cache?’ screen.

Allow your device to reboot after wiping cache partition. Then retry sending and receiving sample text messages or SMS on your phone.

Fifth solution: Reset network settings on your phone.

Resetting the network settings can be a potential solution if your device is having network problems or unable to connect to Wi-Fi and cellular network. Without network access, your device won’t be able to send and receive SMS and MMS messages. To make sure this isn’t what’s causing your HTC U12/HTC U12 Plus to fail when sending SMS or text message, try to reset network settings with these steps:

Swipe up from the Home screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap System.
Select Reset.
Tap Network settings reset option.
Tap Reset Settings twice to confirm action.

Your phone should restart by itself when the network settings reset is finished. After it restarts, you will need to set up and connect to your Wi-Fi network. Then try to create a sample SMS message to see if your phone can now send and receive the message.

Other options

Contact your network service provider to report the issue for further assistance. Also check and ensure that your account is in good standing and all your services are active. Carriers usually imposed a temporary disconnect for accounts with unsettled issues like unpaid bills. Also ask them to check their outage board. Network outages may also be the main reason why network services, particularly SMS messaging, are currently unavailable.

If you started to have trouble sending or receiving SMS or text messages on your HTC U12/U12 Plus after installing a new software update and the problem persisted, you may escalate the issue to HTC Support for other options and official recommendations.

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HTC November 2012 Sales Not Looking Good From Previous Year

We all know how well HTC and Verizon Wireless’ new Droid DNA is doing, but despite it’s popularity, HTC’s profit continues to go down into the pit, which has put the company in a larger financial hole than they had originally expected. According to a report from Reuters, HTC’s consolidated November sales were T$21.23 billion. That is equal to $732 million USD, which is down by 31.4% since November of 2011. Things really aren’t sounding that great for HTC, and this surely isn’t helping their financial outlook from their last quarterly report (which was a loss off 79% compared to their previous quarterly report).

Hopefully since HTC has hired a new marketing director we’ll be seeing a rise in profits. If the companies funds continue to tumble, who knows how much longer it would be before the company officially comes to a halt. Maybe this next quarter will look a lot better for HTC. Although, I’m not really sure the timing on the release of the Droid DNA was really that perfect, as tons of people have been purchasing Galaxy Note II’s only a few weeks before their announcement.

Although quite unlikely, maybe a company will be interested in purchasing HTC like Google purchased Motorola and has been turning it around ever since.

source: Reuters

HTC Gets New Marketing Chief

HTC announced today that a new head of marketing would be joining the company in January of 2013, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Benjamin Ho is a former CMO of Motorola who is currently in charge of marketing at a Taiwanese carrier known as FarEasTone. Ho will be reporting directly to HTC CEO Peter Chou.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that HTC’s current marketing and sales chief Jason Mackenzie will be focusing on sales strategy. Current CMO John Wang will be stepping down from his position. Although, we don’t know if he is getting fired or if he has been moved to a different position.

HTC said that Mr. Ho’s first project at the company will be dubbed “Marketing 2.0,” with a goal of “refocusing HTC’s efforts around holistic marketing and mass-market brand outreach.”

As you know, HTC has been suffering financially and has lost a lot of ground to rivals Samsung and Apple. While Samsung is boasting of selling 5 million Galaxy Note II’s and 20+ million Galaxy S III’s, HTC’s sales have been pretty abysmal compared to those numbers. With the launch of the Droid DNA and HTC hoping to get their marketing improved, we may see the company have another chance in the spotlight. They originally reported that Q4 wasn’t looking that great, but maybe things will be able to turn around for them just in time.

It’d definitely be sad to see HTC close down, or even get bought out by another company. I honestly hope that their finances and innovation will pick up speed this next quarter. While I’m not a huge fan of their devices, losing the competition would be terrible.

source: Android Central

HTC M7 Could be the Company’s New Flagship Slated for a Q1 2013 Release

The HTC One X was the company’s flagship early this year when it was announced at the MWC in Barcelona. It was also one of the first smartphones in the market to feature a quad core CPU based on the NVIDIA Tegra 3 chipset. What’s interesting about the device is that it featured a very unique body construction, one which is highly regarded even today and is considered one of the better looking smartphones out there.

However, much like last year, the One X had to go down fighting to the newly announced Samsung flagship. The Galaxy S III this time took most of HTC’s sales away when the device was announced in May. And it seems like HTC wants to take that trend into the coming year too with rumors suggesting that the Taiwanese maker is prepping the launch of a new flagship for Q1 next year. The alleged new flagship is currently known as the M7 and could well be what we’re expecting from the company (a global variant of the Verizon Droid DNA). HTC apparently wants to launch the device ahead of the purported Samsung Galaxy S IV launch, so this is no different from what we’re used to seeing since the last couple of years.

We have some specs to go with the yet to be announced M7. As expected, it is believed to sport a 5-inch display, perhaps the 1080p Super LCD 3 we saw on the J Butterfly and the Droid DNA. This rumored flagship is also believed to sport a 13MP camera sensor, which should set a new industry standard, although Sony is already there with the Xperia S (and HTC too with the Titan II). The chipset on board is said to be the quad core Snapdragon S4 Pro (the same as the one on the LG Nexus 4), so we can expect good performance on board. The Droid DNA is said to have a decent battery back-up with its meager 2,020 mAh battery pack, despite sporting a powerhouse 1080p display with 441ppi, so we believe the Sense UI and the Snapdragon S4 Pro has something to do with it.

Going by that, it wouldn’t be wrong to see HTC install a battery of similar capacity in the M7. The report suggests that this one here will have a LTE chip inside too, although it shouldn’t matter much outside the U.S. Expectedly, the M7 will apparently follow in the footsteps of the One X and the rest of the HTC flagships when it comes to build quality and materials used in its making, so expect no less this time around. As with any rumored device, it is advised to take this one too with a pinch of salt. However, in the current scenario, HTC would want to grab some of that marketshare back as quickly as possible, so a launch should certainly be on the cards.

Q1 2013 is the rumored launch date, which strongly points towards a MWC 2013 announcement. The MWC 2013 is scheduled to take place in Barcelona beginning from the 25^th of February till the 28^th. So there’s still a good two months left for the announcement. Let’s see if HTC takes the cake this time.

Source: Focus Taiwan and INPAI
Via: Phone Arena